PatrickJ Posted July 8, 2020 Share Posted July 8, 2020 Hi Guys, I need some help identifying a number of rock songs that incorporate some non-standard time signatures within them that aren't prog metal. I've picked up a few ideas but would like to come up with some more (need to keep our prog loving drummer engaged in Jam nights post lockdown) Ideas thus far ... Times Like These - Has those 7/8 sections Mountains - I believe the verse is in 15/16 time with a few sections being in 3/4 too Black Dog - The 5/4 guitar riffs over the 4/4 drums The Ocean - The 4/4 and 7/8 riffs through the song (plus the walking bass at the end of the song seems fun to play). Limelight Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul_c2 Posted July 8, 2020 Share Posted July 8, 2020 Some obvious ones are: Pink Floyd - Money Blondie - Heart of Glass Aretha Franklin - Never Loved a Man (its in 9/8, or 3/4 swingtime) 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted July 8, 2020 Share Posted July 8, 2020 The BeeGee's Jive Talking has a break where the melody is in 7/4 and the drums keep to 4/4. It's weird with the snare drum hitting 2 & 4 for 2 bars then 1 & 3 in the next 2 bars. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad3353 Posted July 9, 2020 Share Posted July 9, 2020 Sound Garden : The Day I Tried To Live Muse : Hysteria System Of A Down : Toxicity These are non-prog rock songs good for keeping drummers (and singers...) interested, maybe..? They go down very well to discerning audiences, too; they're part of our repertoire. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted July 9, 2020 Share Posted July 9, 2020 If you can work out what time signatures are being played in this number you're doing better than me. . . . . . If - Fibonacci's Number https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=18jk2oRkyPc 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drTStingray Posted July 9, 2020 Share Posted July 9, 2020 Jethro Tull - Living in the Past - it's in 5/4 All the more extraordinary in 1969 as it got into the UK singles top 10 (3) and US top 20. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atsampson Posted July 9, 2020 Share Posted July 9, 2020 The Grateful Dead have a load of songs with odd time signatures, e.g. "Playing In The Band" (10/4?) and "Estimated Prophet" (7/4). Peter Gabriel's "Solsbury Hill" (7/8) isn't exactly rock but everybody's heard it... 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Posted July 9, 2020 Share Posted July 9, 2020 Faith No More? Land Of Sunshine jumps to mind Youc could try some of the more melodic Dillinger Escape Plan material, like One Of Us Is The Killer, Milk Lizard or Setting Fire To Sleeping Giants - but may be too heavy still. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uk_lefty Posted July 9, 2020 Share Posted July 9, 2020 (edited) Not sure if it's in the realms of what you want to do but Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds has time sig changes. Will follow this thread with interest because my drummer has his toys out the pram about having to play four on the floor all the time instead of just thinking about how he can make it more interesting for himself. Edited July 9, 2020 by uk_lefty 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Browning Posted July 9, 2020 Share Posted July 9, 2020 Music by John Miles. The middle is in 7/4. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joeystrange Posted July 9, 2020 Share Posted July 9, 2020 There’s a song on the new Slipknot album called Spiders which is in 7/8 IIRC. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maude Posted July 9, 2020 Share Posted July 9, 2020 Here's another System Of A Down song that's in many different signatures, and in all honesty it keeps changing so quickly I don't know what the hell is going on. They use odd timings quite a lot and is possible due to their Armenian heritage, I don't know but I can imagine traditional Armenian music using odd timings. Spoonman by Soundgarden is 7/4 in the verses. And of there's Led Zeps Kashmir, polyrhythm with 4/4 drums but most of the rest in 3/4,but the drums are boring as hell so maybe go with Blackdog instead, 3/4, 4/4 and 5/4. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Browning Posted July 9, 2020 Share Posted July 9, 2020 10 minutes ago, joeystrange said: There’s a song on the new Slipknot album called Spiders which is in 7/8 IIRC. That's a tricky one for them to scuttle in time to! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fragility Posted July 9, 2020 Share Posted July 9, 2020 RHCP - Ethopia Foo Fighters - Times Like These Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Man Riva Posted July 9, 2020 Share Posted July 9, 2020 6 hours ago, drTStingray said: Jethro Tull - Living in the Past - it's in 5/4 All the more extraordinary in 1969 as it got into the UK singles top 10 (3) and US top 20. One of my favourite bass lines... 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merton Posted July 9, 2020 Share Posted July 9, 2020 (edited) Alice In Chains: Them Bones (7/8 mostly) and Dam That River (6/4) Def Leppard: Ring Of Fire has a 7/4 section Aaron Buchanan and the Cult Classics - Mind of a Mute (6/4 IIRC) Edited July 9, 2020 by Merton 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Earbrass Posted July 9, 2020 Share Posted July 9, 2020 (edited) More folk-rock than plain rock, Tielle Heitetty by Finnish band Värttinä is in 11/4, and their track Kivutar is largely in 37/8, though I can't claim to have counted that one myself. Edited July 9, 2020 by Earbrass 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NancyJohnson Posted July 9, 2020 Share Posted July 9, 2020 (edited) Undoubtedly there's going to be a plethora of stuff posted here. If you want musical madness combining odd time signatures juxtapositioned with ever odder key changes and dischords, look no further than Shudder To Think. Despite my description, it's all amazingly coherent. I turned @hiram.k.hackenbacker about a week ago, loads more previously. I'd suggest listening to Pony Express Record (where they really hit their stride) and then navigate backwards (Get Your Goat). I mentioned to Brains that he ought to listen once and then go again. This has recently surfaced...unedited live footage from MTVs 120 Minutes show. Edited July 9, 2020 by NancyJohnson 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EBS_freak Posted July 9, 2020 Share Posted July 9, 2020 The Crunge - Led Zep 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Japhet Posted July 9, 2020 Share Posted July 9, 2020 The Riverboat Song - Ocean Colour Scene (6/4) Turn it On Again - Genesis ( Something weird) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nail Soup Posted July 9, 2020 Share Posted July 9, 2020 Here's one from an unlikley candidate....... OK, it's not the whole or even main part of song, but Rockaway Beach by the Ramones has the instrumental riff (comes after the choruses) in 5/4 time over a 4/4 drum beat. Caused a fair bit of discussion when my covers band first did it. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mykesbass Posted July 9, 2020 Share Posted July 9, 2020 Took me weeks to convince my old band that there was a bar of 3/4 in th emiddle of this, effectively making it 15/4 I guess. Any excuse to share! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MacDaddy Posted July 9, 2020 Share Posted July 9, 2020 Not seeing any examples of non-standard. Any time signature with a bottom number of 2, 4, or 8 is pretty standard So here's an example which has a section in 5/5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mykesbass Posted July 9, 2020 Share Posted July 9, 2020 5 minutes ago, MacDaddy said: Not seeing any examples of non-standard. Any time signature with a bottom number of 2, 4, or 8 is pretty standard So here's an example which has a section in 5/5 How does that work? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted July 9, 2020 Share Posted July 9, 2020 I wouldn’t know if a song wasn’t in straight 4/4, other than it would just sound a bit “off”. And if it did I’d have no idea what actual time sig it was in. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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